Civic Commentary

If ever there were doubt that I am a bit of a geek, one need not look further than how I spent my summer vacation, because only a geek would spend a good chunk of July reading Supreme Court opinions and dissents. And if that weren’t enough, I washed it all down by rereading many of the Federalist Papers.

This nation didn’t begin by winning a war. That would come. It didn’t begin with writing our Constitution. That too would come. No, after a slow simmer turned to a boil by a king holding on too tightly and some Common Sense, it began by announcing to the world in the Declaration of Independence who we are, what we believe, and, in large measure, what we will not tolerate. And that is what we celebrate this week. The document begins simply, with the words “In Congress.” Not

The annual White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) Dinner is an event I always look forward to watching. Since 1983, around the time I began watching, the entertainer for the event has been a comedian. And laughter is good medicine. We seem to have lost a bit of the ability to make fun of ourselves. We take ourselves and most situations far too seriously. And that’s a shame, because the ability to laugh at oneself is a sign both of good character and good temperament.

A thoughtful reflection on American optimism in the face of political extremism, government overreach, and global instability. Drawing from history, leadership, and culture, this blog explores how restraint, civic courage, and faith in democratic balance remain essential to preserving America’s ideals—especially when optimism feels hardest to hold.